Toggle switch



Jan. 13, 1953 o. H. HASSELBAUM TOGGLE SWITCH Filed May 12, 1949 INVENTOR. r /as SIE/6671107 Oscar 1Z Patentes! Jan. 13, 1953 is fixed -to the insulating base I by means bf tzhe rivetz I5 which on itzs extzemal side also holds tahe terminal connectzor I6. The cradle I4 is G or channel shaped witzh recesses I'I and I8 in t:he tzop edges of t;he upright side elementzs I9 and 29 of the cradle.

'Ihe recesses I'I anal I8 are aligned with one anotzher ancl receive tzhe outzwardly projecting bosses or pivots 2l and 22 e:it;ending from the contact. plate I4. The contzact plate M has the shape of a letzter W witzh tzhe pivotz pointzs 2I and 22 extending from the outside of tzhe unter am1's f tzhe W in t:he same plane as the contzactz plate atz tzhe tzop of tzhe arms. Since tzhe greataer partz of the contzact platze is below the line of pivot, ehe plate in the position shown in the drawings hangs downwards restzing easily in tzhe recessed bearings I'I and I8. 'Ihe lower partz 23 of tzhe contact platze is of such a. widtzh thatz when it is swung into position againstz tzhe elementz IG, the side edges of tzhe sectzion 23 will wipe the upwarclly extending arms I I and make a good contzactz with them. As has been previously stated, the arms I I may have sufiieient spring so thatz slightz pressure will be exerted by t;he arms against; the edge of the seetzion 23 of tzhe wiping contactz platze. The rivet I also holds tzhe U-shaped spring member 24, tzhe upwardly bowed sides 25 and 26 of which exertz a spring tension against I511e ends of the pivots 2I and 22. The cradle I4, the wiping cantactz plate I3 and tzhe U-shaped spring 25 are all electzrically connectzed tzogether butz since, in the Swinging cf the wiping platze I3 the contzactz in tzhe bearing surfaces 01 recesses I'I or I8 will change from peint; t;o point during tzhe swinging cf tzhe wiping cont;act plate, a good electzrical contzact is maintzained. by the tension againstz the wiping plate at: the end of tzhe pivot: conneeting bosses 2I and 22. As will be noted from Figure 5, these bosses' are quite high and therefore iurnish a considerable contzact; surface witzh t'ne spring elementz 25 and 26.

An operang lever 27 w'nich may be provided witzh a spherical heacl 26 is mounted on tzhe t-op oi the cover 3 in a housing 29 which permitzs tzhe 1ever to swing witzh a free m0izion in a plane perpendicular to tzhe line cf Izhe pivotz of ohe Wiping contzactz. Extending from the spherical ball 28 is an insulatzing prong 343 whieh rides an a cap 32 which in turn sei-s into tzne top of a helical spring member 3I Which is pressed down by tzhe housing 29 an tzhe eentzral boss 33 of tzhe W-shaped comtactz plate. This pressure gives tzhe snap to the switzch actzion so that when tzhe lever is swung beyoncl dead centzer, it Will snap over the rast of tzhe way. This provicles the t;oggle arrangement for the 0peratzion of tzhe contactz platze from a position ab one side of tzhe dead center to thatz of the oiher side of the dead. center.

When tzhe operatzing lever 21 is moved the cantactz platze I3 will tzend tzo swing in t:he oppositze dimctzion, the arm 27 turning the wiping platze until itz reaches a p0sitzion beyond er approximately atz tzhe deacl centzer, after which tzhe helical spring 3I will cause tzhe wiping contzact; t snap over intzo tzhe opposite position f1om which itz was before tzhe lever 21 was movecl. 'Ihe switch illustzratzeol in tzhe drawings is a single pull double throw switch and tzhe wiping contactz is moved from tzhe contactz stop II! on one side to the contzact lstop I!) on tzhe otzher side. As tzhe wiping contacc leaves the contzactz stzop IEI, tzhe contsactz is still eontzinued tzhrough tzhe same terminal until ehe end. of tzhe wiping cqntact: has leftz the arm II. Itz is noted in she drawingstzhat tzbe arms II are carried forward a positidii Soiilewhat; close to the dead eenter. As a result cf this, electrical contzactz is contzinued untzi1 tzhe wiping contact platze I3 has attzained tzhe acceleratzion and position necessary for itz to snap to the other side. As a resultz of tzhis expedientz tzhe breaking of the contzaetz is made exceedingly rapid so thatz there is littzle chance for an arc co begin or last. In tzhe same way also, tzhe contzactz is made when the contzactz arm is moving quite rapidly by contzactz betzween tzhe edge of the wipinz; contact: arm and tzhe upright; spring members l I.

An additional advantage provided loy the arm II engaging witzh the side of tzhe contactz members is t-hat; the wiping contzactz is held firmly in place at the =end cf it:s motion and even tzhough tzhere may be a tendency oi chattzerim; in tzhe operataing lever, ehe contactz arm will loe held firmly in position by tzhe tensicn exerted againstz its edges by the spring arms I I. A mountzing platze 34 may be carried. atz the top of tzhe housing for mounting the switzch 011 a panel, and as a protectzion againso moisture getztsing into tzhe sicle of the case a rubber collar 35 may be used over tzhe operating lever 23' and the enclosing housing 29. The pivoting of the operatzing lever 21 is shown as a universal joint witzh t-he spherical pivotzing membei 2B. Since in the arrangementz shown tzhe moving contactz arm is only 0scillated in pivots 21 and 22, the operating lever may also be pivotzecl in a pivotz Which woulcl allow on1y motion in the directzion perpenclicular t;he pivot line between tzhe pivotzs 2 I and 22.

Having now describerl my inventzion, I claim:

1. A toggle switeh of tzhe tzype described having a pivoted contzactz lever, means providing a tzoggle acsion for operating said pivotzed lever, said lever comprising a plate element having pivotz suspension pointzs at eaeh end with means in betzween for engaging said. toggle aetzing means, means having recesses on their surfaces for supportzing ancl engaging saicl pivotz pointzs, spring means bearing againstz tzhe enols of said pivot; points atz the end cf saicl recess means anti contsactz means positzi0ned to engage said pivotzed lever t0 completze an electrical circuit.

2. A taoggle switch of t:he type describeol having a pivotzed contactz lever means provicling a toggle action for operatzing said pivotzed lever, said lever comprising a platze elemeniz having pivotz suspension pointzs ab each end witzh means in betzween for engaging said tzoggle actzing means, means having recesses an their surfaces for supportzing and engaging said pivotz points, sprin means bearin againstz I7he ends of said pivot pointzs at the end of saicl recess means and contzaot; means having a p0rtzi0n positioned tzo engage said lever during its motion and anoizher portion againstz which said lever comes to rast.

3. A tzoggle switch having a, platze in a general W shape witzh pivotzing points extending outzward atz tzhe top oi the arms f tzhe W in alignmentz With one anotzher, a cradle element having a recess wherein tzhe plate can swing witzh shallow recesses atz tzhe top edge of tzhe cradle tzo receive tzhe pivot points spring elementzs positioned tzo press againstz tzhe pivotz pointzs atz the outer sides of seid cradle atz booh ends of the plate, toggle elementzs positioned. tzo actz on the center hump of tzhe W for swinging said platze beyond tzhe dead centzer and contactz means positioned tzo engage said plate in itzs swing to make an electzrical contzactz.

4. A tzoggle switch having a platze in a general W shape witzh pivoting pointzs extending outzward at the top of the arms of the W in alignment With one another, a craclle element having a recess wherein the plate can swing with shallow recesses at the top edge of the cradle to receive the pivot points, spring elements positioned 120 press against the pivot points at the outer sides cf seid cradle a1; both ends of the platze, toggle e1ements positioned to ach on the center hump of the W for swinging seid plate beyond the dead center and contact means having an element positioned to 1imit the swing of said plate and make contaet therewith with a portion of said element positioned 170 engage in wiping contact with the edge of said p1ate as it swings to rest.

5. A toggle switch having a platze in a general W shape With pivoting points extending outward at the top of the arms of the W in alignment With one another, a cradle element having a recess wherein the plate can swing with shallow recesses at the top edge of the cradle to receive the pivot points, spring elements positioned to press against the pivot points ab the outer sides of said cradle at both ends of the plate, toggle elements positioned to act on the center hump o1 the W for swinging said platze beyond the dead center and contact means having an e1ement positioned to limit the swing of seid plate anal make contact therewith with a portion of seid element positioned continue in wiping contact wich the edge of said plate while the plate is accelerating away from the portion limiting its Swing.

OSCAR H. HASSELBAUM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fi1e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

